Jan 24, 2004

Box Score?|? Quotes

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Rickey Paulding had 19 points and cleared up free-throw shooting problems that cost Missouri in its last game, going 6-for-6 at the line in a 72-51 victory over Nebraska on Saturday.

Missouri (8-7, 3-2 Big 12) defeated Nebraska in football and basketball in the same season for the first time since 1978. Football was responsible for almost all of that drought before the Tigers ended a 24-game losing streak last fall with a 41-24 victory over the Huskers.

The Tigers were ice-cold at the start of the game, missing 14 of their first 17 shots and trailing by as many as 10 points before taking a 1-point lead at the half. They outscored Nebraska 29-7 in the final 9:33, after the Huskers had taken their only lead of the second half.

Thomas Gardner added 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting for Missouri, which avoided falling below .500 at this juncture of the season for the first time since 1978-79. The blowout came after consecutive overtime games, a victory at Oklahoma and a loss to Texas.

Paulding had seven points and Jimmy McKinney five in a 17-0 run that put the game away, giving Missouri a 60-44 lead with 5:19 to play. The run came after Nebraska (11-5, 1-4) had taken its first lead of the second half on a 3-pointer by Brian Conklin with 9:33 left.

Nebraska didn't get another basket for eight minutes, by which time the run had grown to 27-2 and the score was 72-48. This from a team coming off a 29-point victory over Baylor and a two-point loss at Texas.

Paulding hit three free throws during the run and was 6-for-6 overall after going 6-for-12 in an overtime loss to Texas. In that game Paulding missed five free throws in the final four minutes of regulation and overtime.

Arthur Johnson added 10 points for Missouri, which has won six in a row over Nebraska and nine of the last 10.

Nate Johnson had 11 points for Nebraska, which has lost four of five and is 1-4 on the road. Andrew Drevo, who averages 11 points, was held to seven.

Gardner hit a 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds to go in the half to give Missouri a 30-29 lead, rescuing a spotty, sloppy opening. The Tigers hit only three of their first 17 shots and trailed 18-8 with 7:47 left after a 13-1 Nebraska run.